Manchester United showed their derby win over rivals Manchester City was no flash in the pan, beating Premier League leaders Arsenal 3–2 in an instant classic.
Matheus Cunha’s stunning strike silenced Emirates Stadium, moments after Mikel Merino thought he’d earned Arsenal a comeback point. Instead, United’s Champions League aspirations are alive and kicking, with Michael Carrick’s side up to fourth in the Premier League table and above Liverpool.
Few had expected United would leave north London with three points, especially as they had not won away at Arsenal for eight years. There would also have been few bets placed on the Gunners conceding three goals—they hadn’t so in their past 121 matches.
United have not only boosted their only Champions League hopes, they’ve also blown the Premier League title race wide open.
Heroes and Villains
Heroes
If Manchester United do end up qualifying for next season’s Champions League, it’s likely Bryan Mbeumo will have played a huge role in that achievement.
The Cameroonian has taken to the big stage like a duck to water, shifting between different roles under Ruben Amorim before being asked to go up top by Michael Carrick. His tenacity, work rate and composure under pressure are all very impressive, as was his ability to score and capitalise on Martín Zubimendi’s moment of madness.
Similarly, Matheus Cunha has fleetingly shown that he’s capable of succeeding at United. Here, he announced his arrival on the big stage. Picking up possession in the No. 10 position, he carried the ball towards David Raya’s penalty area before arcing a tremendous finish around Gabriel and past the sprawling hand of the aforementioned goalkeeper.
Villain
You could argue that Lisandro Martínez’s own goal was simply a case of not being able to sort his feet out quick enough. But others, including the writer and Gary Neville on Sky Sports’ commentary, would say the Argentine should have done more to wriggle free from Arsenal’s Jurriën Timber.
Had Martínez escaped the clutches of the inverted Dutchman, he’d have been able to take a more measured approach at steering Martin Ødegaard’s flick away from goal, rather than diverting past a helpless Senne Lammens.
Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Arsenal
GK: Senne Lammens—8.2: Made a tremendous reaction save from Zubimendi’s header and claimed countless high balls. Crowded out from the corner that led to Merino’s equaliser but deserved to be on the winning side.
RB: Diogo Dalot—6.1: The Portuguese’s in-game rating would suggest he had a torrid afternoon against Leandro Trossard, but that couldn’t be any further from the truth. Well positioned for the most part.
CB: Harry Maguire—7.0: Arsenal’s decision to start Gabriel Jesus backfired as Maguire was rarely tested by the Brazilian. Things should have got more physical when Viktor Gyökeres came on, as well as when set pieces became more of a factor.
CB: Lisandro Martínez—6.0: The own goal could have sent his performance level spiralling but he remained switched on as Arsenal struggled to find their rhythm.
LB: Luke Shaw—6.9: Looked to show Bukayo Saka down the flank, nullifying his go-to ploy of cutting inside on his strongest foot. It worked for the most part, even when Arsenal increasingly turned to their most creative outlet.
DM: Kobbie Mainoo—6.9: United’s organised press started from the front but Mainoo more than played his part in keeping Ødegaard and Rice quiet. Claimed the assist for Cunha’s outstanding winner.
DM: Casemiro—6.4: Consciously decided against diving into tackles, instead maintaining shape in a bid to frustrate United. It worked in what will be his final game against Arsenal.
RW: Amad Diallo—6.9: A tad quiet on the right flank, perhaps still overcoming his exertions at AFCON. Still, Amad’s press and work out of possession played a big role in United’s success.
AM: Bruno Fernandes (c)—7.5: Cut a frustrated figure at times, yet his presence in the No. 10 role forced William Saliba and Gabriel to squeeze up higher than they would normally. Forced the error from Zubimendi that led to Mbeumo’s goal.
LW: Patrick Dorgu—7.8: A dismal attempt to head away Piero Hincapié’s cross led to Arsenal opening the scoring, but that error was atoned for in the most sensational way minutes into the second half. Lovely combination play with Fernandes and boy what a hit.
CF: Bryan Mbeumo—7.7: Gobbled up Martín Zubimendi’s error with delight and then sat David Raya down to coolly slot home the 50th Premier League goal of his career.
SUB: Matheus Cunha (69’ for Mbeumo)—7.6: Sensational impact from the bench and a real mark of his overall quality.
SUB: Benjamin Šeško (81’ for Dorgu)—N/A
SUB: Noussair Mazraoui (89’ for Amad)—N/A
Subs not used: Altay Bayındır (GK), Ayden Heaven, Leny Yoro, Tyrell Malacia, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount.
What the Ratings Tell Us
- Benjamin Šeško might well have cost United in the region of £66.3 million ($89.1 million) before add-ons, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be getting back into United’s starting lineup anytime soon. Carrick’s preferred option, Mbeumo, looks extremely comfortable playing centrally, with his pressing particularly impressive, and the fact Matheus Cunha was the one to replace him speaks volumes.
- Senne Lammens arrived at Old Trafford with the weight of the world on his young shoulders. Some impressive displays have shown he’s talented and any remaining naysayers must have been impressed with his reflex save from Zubimendi’s header. He’ll be United’s number one for some time.
- Patrick Dorgu’s going to be a frustrating player for United, capable of the sublime and the ridiculous. His poor clearing header directly led to Saka gathering the ball inside the penalty area, and moments later Martínez had scored the own goal. He then scored an absolute belter in the second half, ripping a bouncing ball into the top corner off the underside of the bar.
- Manchester United are a far, far better side playing with four at the back. Carrick has done the right thing abandoning Amorim’s ethos, and they look far more dangerous on the counter-attack. Couple the tweaks with individuals capable of brilliance and a desire to work for each other and this is the result.
The Numbers That Explain United’s Incredible Triumph
- Three shots on target for United resulted in three goals—a clinical performance that saw United massively outperform their xG.
- United’s 44% possession showed they were happy to give Arsenal the lion’s share of the ball, knowing they had the structure and organisation to deal with the threat posed.
- Arsenal had 15 shots overall but just four on target—they weren’t able to really test Lammens in the way they’d have wanted to, and in the end their main threat was again from set pieces.
| Statistic | Arsenal | Man Utd |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 56% | 44% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 1.20 | 0.73 |
| Total Shots | 15 | 10 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 3 |
| Big Chances | 1 | 1 |
| Passing Accuracy | 84% | 79% |
| Fouls Committed | 11 | 9 |
| Corners | 9 | 2 |
READ THE LATEST MAN UTD NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE
- Supercomputer Predicts 2025–26 Premier League Table As Man Utd Send Arsenal Spiralling
- Transfer Rumors: Liverpool Eye €100 Million Midfielder; Vinicius Jr Drops PSG Ultimatum
- ‘All Season’—Gary Neville Revels in Bitter Jibe at Liverpool
- Five Things We Learned From Man Utd’s Stunning Victory Over Arsenal
- How Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea’s Next Five Premier League Fixtures Compare
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Arsenal: Moments of Magic Lift Champions League Hopes.
